


FOR WORSE OR FOR BETTER?

by beckibenhoffer, lila_luscious1, Patty_Parker60



Category: Grey's Anatomy, Station 19 (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:42:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24260791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beckibenhoffer/pseuds/beckibenhoffer, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lila_luscious1/pseuds/lila_luscious1, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patty_Parker60/pseuds/Patty_Parker60
Summary: The Season 3 'finale' was Fizzy Like AFart, in our view. And in our AU, the S19and GS couples have loads less 'soap' andmuch more realistic romantic entanglementsAndy and Robert, Victoria and Lucas, Sashaand Dean, 'Travmett', and more
Relationships: Andrea "Andy" Sullivan/Robert Sullivan, Andy Herrera/Robert Sullivan, Maya Bishop/Carina De Luca, Victoria Hughes/Lucas Ripley
Comments: 45
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [emilylukns](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilylukns/gifts), [julrenda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/julrenda/gifts), [Chloelovesstation_19andwentworth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chloelovesstation_19andwentworth/gifts), [lila_luscious1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lila_luscious1/gifts), [beckysue_bonner](https://archiveofourown.org/users/beckysue_bonner/gifts), [BAUProfiler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BAUProfiler/gifts), [lovevicley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovevicley/gifts).



> Inspired by emilylukns’  
> ‘For Better Or Worse’

By the time Andrea Herrera gets back to Grey Sloan (after two

traffic stops for speeding), and rushes to the floor her husband’s

private suite is on, visiting hours are over. The bosomy nurse who

who’d gotten under Andy’s nerves earlier (MARI, according to her

name-tag, and whose unabashed flirting directed toward Sullivan

inspired Amelia to send her to retrieve some ‘labs’) insists that she’ll

need to speak with her husband’s Surgeon, according to her

instructions; Andy’s arguments are for naught, though Mari does

agree to page Dr. Shepherd to the ICU. Amelia doesn’t have good

news for the distraught Spouse.

“He’s…ummm…not in a good state of mind, Andy. When he woke

up from surgery, and you weren’t here, he put off having any pain-

killers until you arrived…when, um…that didn’t happen, and he

couldn’t stand it any longer, I gave him morphine. He didn’t want it-

he’s terrified of relapsing. I may be out of line for saying this, but

I’m defending my patient: he needed YOU HERE. Whatever needed

doing must have been…I can’t imagine what could have been 

MORE IMPORTANT.”

  
Andy can only stare at her sleeping husband, awash with

shame. To Amelia, she says miserably “I thought that it was that

critical that I leave…I’m all over the place, my focus is so fractured

right now.” Without meaning to, she spills the whole tragic tale:

Ryan, her Father, the un-earthed photos and letters she found

putting a large swath of her life to question, to a complete stranger

(she has met Amelia previously, however they are not so well-

acquainted for Andy to share so much of her life with her). She

IS Meredith Grey-Shepherd’s sister in law, though, and Mer seems

to hold her in high regard. 

“How…are angry was he?” She asks, in a near whisper.

  
“I’m afraid that I’d call him…ENRAGED, Andy. I’m sorry.”

  
Hot tears, held back for the last hour, spill down Andy’s cheeks.

“No. I deserve it. I don’t blame you for what you must think of me:

and it’s TRUE…I’m not much of a wife…did he say anything?”

“Well…perhaps you should wait until he’s awake…”

  
“PLEASE…please tell me Amelia.”

  
“He said that if you find the time to make it back here, that 

You shouldn’t worry about him; that you should…I’m REALLY

UNCOMFORTABLE, Andy”…

“What? Please just tell me”, Andy begs.

  
“That you should…go to YOUR home until the two of you

have a chance to speak. He asked me to leave word at the

Nurse’s station to not put you on the visitors list.”

  
Now the tears come in a flood. _He doesn’t want me at_

 _our house, or to visit him and I can’t blame him_ , sounds

like a klaxon in her brain. _I have truly and soundly fucked_

_this up…_

“Hey, hey,” Amelia coos, bringing the other woman in for a hug.

“I can talk to him for you, if you like. We’ve gotten close lately,

as Sponsor and Sponsee. His anger and disappointment is very real,

and deeply felt. I myself am not unfamiliar with these types of drama.

Let’s go to the Coffee Clatch, just outside the front doors, and get

some fresh air, and some coffees, you and I? C’mon, he’s sleeping;

it's hours before he awakes."

  
On a bench outside the front doors, Amelia explains a little bit of her 

own history. I lost a child, and because of that loss, and my…inability

to process that trauma, my marriage. I don’t know if you are familiar

with Owen Hunt; he’s the man I married. He wanted children, and I

was paralyzed by the possibility of another loss-couldn’t go forward….”

“I’m so sorry,” Andy commiserates, sincerely.

  
“I can talk about it now”, Amelia says. “I learned that talking about his death

might have saved my marriage. NOT communicating can breed resentment,

distrust, and an inevitable ‘pulling away’…at least it did in my case. One dead

fiancé, a few exes, a deceased brother, and a paternity soap opera, ‘GS fashion’.

All of this while losing my medical privileges, and regaining them; also

relapsing, and getting sober-MORE THAN ONCE…I understand heartache, and

loss, as well as anyone. He, Robert, lost a wife many years ago, he says and

Oh… I understand that you suffered TWO serious losses, back to back this

year…that must have been so hard to deal with.”

  
“Yes, thanks. Childhood friend, high school boyfriend, and sometimes

adult hook up-before Robert, of course; and my Dad. I …sort of…’toggled’

between men for a while, and then…Robert. Despite what happened

today, I love him so, so dearly. Please believe me.” _For a reason she can’t_

_understand, Andrea is desperate that Amelia believe her. The Neuro-_

_surgeon_ _is so easy to talk to, just like Mer._

“I DO believe you-I can see it in your eyes. Your body language.

And that’s why I agreed to speak with Robert on your behalf. He’s

very angry, but more DISAPPOINTED, and hurt. He and I had a

meeting before he went to the OR, and he told me how deeply

in love he is with you. And that he has FEARS: about his career,

what the implications of his taking-down of Michael Dixon might 

mean might mean for YOUR career, as well as his. The fear about

you leaving him was exacerbated when you…”

“RAN OUT, Amelia? Ran out when ‘whatever it was I need to

go and do’ could have waited until after his surgery? YEAH,

I know that-thank you.”

  
“I should have warned you that REAL TALK is what’s needed

here, Andy. I don’t mean to sound ‘judgey’; not at all. I’m only

saying that once he realizes that he YOU are imperative for his

recovery from surgery, and his continued recovery and sobriety,

that he’ll see things differently concerning yours and his

repairing of your relationship. I’m confident that he won’t

relapse and or inappropriately use narcotics; I’m asking

as his Surgeon: will you be there? As his sponsor I'll

need to prepare him if the answers no.” 

"I will, I SWEAR. I've been so, so selfish, but no more.

He is my priority starting now."

Amelia brightens with this news. 'That's what I needed to

hear. I'll speak with him; once he agrees, I'll call you."

"Amelia-thank you for what you've done for him, and your

very good advice. May I call just to talk, have a beer, just

hang out?"

"Of course..."

The two hug, and as they pull apart, A tall blonde bearded man

storms onto the hospital floor; he's eyes flash fire, the fiery blue

orbs locked on Andy...

"LUCAS...you just can't..." Amelia starts to say, but Lucas Ripley

ignores her, he's focused on Andy: " _Do you know what you've_

 _done_!?" he snarls.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some progress is being made-minimal,  
> but minimal better than nothing...ISN'T IT?
> 
> we'll be continuing this of course

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KYLE from E09 makes an appearance  
> 

Andrea Herrera-Sullivan tearfully recalls the good

times between she and Robert: their first ‘forbidden’

hook-up in the 19 (right after such practices were

frowned upon’ by Chief Ripley; dancing salsa,

which nearly always led to spicy sex; 

the time spend spent when just the two of them took

‘quickie’ excursions during their four days off :

Vienna, Puerto Rico, Lichtenstein, Belize…

and even these memories make her cry. They shine

a bright light on the shabby way that she’s treated her

very supportive and loving husband. Fumbling for her

phone, she speed dials her good friend Vic.

“Vic…I need you,” she sobs. “The Chief hates me again,

Robert won’t see me…the only bright light in my shitty

existence is my MOM. I haven’t had much chance to

spend time with her, but I _have to_ make Robert my

priority. Can you…could you get Lucas to…I don’t expect

him to sponsor a parade for me, but if he could…not speak

against me with Robert…”

‘He’s protecting and defending his best friend, Andy; that’s

all that he sees right now. I don’t agree all the way with the way

that he sees the issue, but _he’s not wrong_ : your Aunt arriving was

super important, but important enough to leave the hospital while

Sullivan is being ‘cut’, you have to admit…that was fucked up.

And when Ripley found out that you showed up smelling of booze

for that brief little visit…he turned red. Both of them suspect that

you spent the night with GIBSON, which I was able to alibi you

out on that one. And PLEASE don’t take this as an _attack_ , which

it is not…because neither of them are perfect husbands either.

I’ll get my husband to stop injecting his opinion into your personal

dealings with your husband, but I don’t know him well enough to

advocate on your behalf: I AM biased on YOUR BEHALF, Andy,

which is why me putting in a word for you may cause more harm

than good. I did tell him that you truly love him, that you’re IN

LOVE with him, and that there’s no way that you would betray your

vows. He seemed to take that well. He seems to be… _thawing_ , if that

makes any sense.”

“Thanks, Vic. That helps. I’m trying to keep it together, and this

helps. Thank you.”

A few hours later, her Mother, Elena calls.


	3. LA SUEGRA

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andy Herrera gets help from her Mother (Robert still won't see her)

"Mami...I really need you", Andy sobs. "I found YOU, but I may have lost ROBERT."

"Andrea: remember when your Father and I would argue? La tema-the theme-was always 

the same: 'You are NOT hearing me: Pruitt'...REMEMBER? Yo soy tu Mama; I'm your Mother,

and so I'm always on your side. But leaving your husband alone after surgery...No, Mi

Vida: I cannot say that you were correct in that. No puedo."

"I know. Mire-look...vamos juntos? I need you Mami; please help me."

"Claro que te ayudo, Mi Reina. I'm ready whenever you come for me."

Grey's, outside Robert Sullivan's room, Elena Herrera reminds her daughter that she will convince

her Son In Law to give Andrea another chance. She knocks, and when Robert says come in, she

approaches him.

"Roberto-soy su SUEGRA-Elena Herrera Valdez."

"Oh...OH! Pase señora! Please come in!"

Elena takes a visitor's chance and puts it close to the bed. "Robert...Andrea loves you so

much. When I was taken from her-I will explain that situation later-she was forced to

grow up without a Mamá; any mistakes she made are partially due to that...I don't make

excuses for my Daughter, Roberto...only...si me haga el favor de ESCUCHARLA-give

her the chance to explain...make things right between you."

"Si, Suegra. Como usted desea.-as you wish. I am in love with her; I, um..." The big Man starts to

cry, sobbing so hard that his big shoulders shake violently and an Andy pokes her head in-Elena 

waves her off, leaving her chair to perch on the side of the hospital bed, embracing him (he's so large

that she can only cradle his head onto her bosom and utter soothing endearments: "Shhhh-shhhh;

si, si, Mi Amor...LLORE si te ayuada a sentire mejor...OK...I know, I know...you cry Mi'jo...let it out..."

After ten minutes, Elena calls to her Daughter: "ANDY!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spanish 2 English
> 
> Claro que te ayudo, Mi Reina:  
> Of course I'll help you, My Queen (literally meant my darling)
> 
> Si me haga el favor de ESCUCHARLA: If you'll do me the favor of  
> listening to her
> 
> si, si, Mi Amor...LLORE si te ayuada a sentire mejor:  
> Cry if it helps you to feel better


End file.
